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4.3 Comparing Fisheries

Comparing Fisheries - Case Studies

Two fisheries need to be considered and compared for how they were managed, or not, sustainably. The two suggested cod fisheries are those of Newfoundland and Iceland. Many of the issues have been covered on  4.3 Aquatic Food Production Systems  including improvements to boats, fishing gear (trawler bags), and detection of fisheries and boats via satellites.

Watch these two videos and ask students to identify the management strategies which have been used in each system including use of quotas, designation of marine protected areas (exclusion zones), and restriction on types and size of fishing gear (including mesh size of nets).

This activity can be completed in 15 minutes in class or as a homework activity.

Student Task

Watch these two videos and identify the management strategies which have been used in each system including:

  • use of quotas
  • designation of marine protected areas (exclusion zones)
  • restriction on types and size of fishing gear (including mesh size of nets)

If you have time to further explore:

The Newfoundland Crash - summary from the Regime Shifts data base. This was a classic tipping point into an alternate stable state (see  Exploring Tipping Points).

For more information about Iceland, here are some resources from Niceland Seafood and Iceland Magazine on their sustainable fisheries success.

The Ocean Review has a summary on the fate of cod.

Another interesting case study would be to look at Antarctic Fisheries.

Video 1: State of the Planet's Oceans: Decimation of the Atlantic Cod Fishery (4 min 13 sec)

 

Video 2: Icelandic Cod Fisheries From Catch to Consumer (6 min 42 sec)

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